shimano vs campagnolo

[dannyfrankszzz]

Get well soon, Mr Pinder.

I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for Shimano but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.

I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?

Opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Smudger]

"dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
>
> I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
> everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for Shimano
> but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.
>
> I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the
> brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?
>
> Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

All my bikes are Shimano equipped but if I were to buy a decent road bike then I would equip it with
Campag without a doubt. It's all about class and only Campag has that cache.

 

[Andy Welch]

On 20-Mar-2003, dannyfrankszzz <[email protected]> wrote:

> Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
>

Hear Hear.

> I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
> everyone think are the best?

Blimey, you might as well ask whether Ford is better than Volkswagen (or any other mass motor
manufacturer). It depends on which of their many offerings you are talking about and on your
personal preference. But you don't have to stick with one of the other. My new bike is probably
going to have Chorus Ergo shifters with an 8 speed Shimano (Ultegra and Dura Ace mix) rear. This
suits me as I prefer the ergonomics and neat cable runs of the Campag ergos but think that 10 speeds
is at least one sprocket too many and would prefer to use a cheaper, stronger and all round easier
to live with 7/8 speed sachs chain. But of course somebody else may not like this setup. Each to
their own.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Michael Macclan]

In message <[email protected]>, dannyfrankszzz
<[email protected]> writes
>Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
>
>I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
>everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for Shimano
>but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.
>
>I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the
>brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?
>
>Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
>--
>>--------------------------<
>Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

I bought a new bike about a month ago and faced your dilemma. I had lined up a few possible bikes
and couldn't decide between them on the basis of the frames and wheels and so it came down to the
group set. I went with Campagnolo for the following reasons. I accept that they're largely
subjective and other people who are much more knowledgeable than me might have plenty of reasons to
tell me I'm wrong!

1. The cable runs from the Campagnolo shifter are neater than with Shimano.
2. Ergo shifters have separate levers for gear changing whereas you have to use the brake lever to
change on the Shimano system (except Sora). I felt the Campagnolo system was safer.
3. Campagnolo is Italian and I like Italy a lot.
4. I think you're buying into more history with Campagnolo.

Of course, for mountain bikes and straight bar road bikes you are pretty much limited to Shimano.
--
Michael MacClancy

 

[Pete Biggs]

"Dave Kahn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Adrian Boliston" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > Interestingly, the bike was NOT locked! I mean if someone just leaves a bike unlocked then they
> > DESERVE to loose it!
>
> I walk around without any weapons. Do I DESERVE to get mugged?
>

Yes, can I do it?! .. do you also leave your front door open when you go on holiday?

 

[Niv]

I have Campy stuff on both my road bikes, expensive Record/Chorus mix on my "summer" bike and very
adequate Veloce on my winter hack (quite a posh hack now!).

My MTB is Shimano, a mix of XT and lower grade stuff. works fine.

I personally will stick with "C" for road & "S" for off road.

Shimano road levers have all that horrid cable dangly stuff out in front!

Niv. "dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
>
> I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
> everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for Shimano
> but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.
>
> I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the
> brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?
>
> Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[David E. Belche]

"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Personally, I like the ability Campag offers to: shift up more than one gear at a time, rebuild
> the levers, service & adjust hubs with extreme ease (Centaur+); and their low-end cassettes and
> bottom brackets are suprisingly inexpensive, and their cranks and mechs look niiiice! Campag is
> not all perfect though. Some things can run with more play and noise than you'd think from their
> looks and price.
>

The only real gripes I have with Campag are (a) they've started using plastic brake levers for their
lowest-priced Ergos in the last couple of years and (b) they don't tend to cater for 8sp users very
much. Other than that, no complaints - a lot of the stuff is well priced for the quality, whilst
Ergo levers undercut their Shimano equivalents quite a bit price-wise (compare, say, Ultegra STIs
and Chorus Ergos). I race 'cross, primarily, and am still baffled by the popularity of Shimano STI
shifters in this discipline - the gear cable runs are far more vulnerable, as is the shifting itself
in the event of a prang (whereas Campag keep brake and gear levers separate, if you see what I
mean). Simon Burney (ex-GB squad mechanic) says much the same in his book on the sport.

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

 

[Peter Storey]

"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> More seriously, for road bikes, if in doubt, choose by what brake/gear levers feel the most
> comfortable to rest on and use. The rest of the kit will do what's required with either make (and
> you can do a certain amount of mixing & matching if you like).
>
> Personally, I like the ability Campag offers to: shift up more than one gear at a time, rebuild
> the levers, service & adjust hubs with extreme ease (Centaur+); and their low-end cassettes and
> bottom brackets are suprisingly inexpensive, and their cranks and mechs look niiiice!
>
> ~PB

What's it for, where do you live and how strong are your legs?

If you want/need low(er) gears, I believe that Campag's largest sprocket is a 29, and that may only
be available in 10-speed format. Shimano will take you up to 34 in the MTB ranges and has
longer-caged rear mechs. Campag's larger BCD (the chainset "star") means that their smallest inner
ring (or middle on a triple) is 39 vs. 38 for Shimano. All in all: yes, you can build a Campag
touring bike, but Shimano tends to give you more options and greater parts availability when
something breaks far from home. OTOH, if you're content with the "normal" range of road gears, none
of this matters.

I prefer Campag's levers for all of Pete's reasons, plus a further one. Shimano has moved heaven and
earth to index the front shifting, and I'm still not convinced it works all that well. Campag left
it as a continuous action mechanism, allowing a greater amount of trimming and even deliberate
overshifting. This is less of an issue with close gears.

As Pete points out, there are various workarounds to allow mix-and-match between the two systems,
but you can't pretend they're truly compatible. Moreover, if you can fit under the maximum size
constraint, the Campag Centaur cassettes seem to allow you greater freedom to set up exactly the
cluster you want, without having to break open the pairs and trios of sprockets that Shimano insists
on riveting together.

Bottom line: Not a simple question, especially if you're offered a heavily discounted "Groupset"
price that incents you to buy it all from one or the other.

Peter Storey

 

[Msa]

> > Opinions would be greatly appreciated.

ShimaNO!!!!!!!!!

Campag...Mmmmm

--
Mark ----- Roadie, MTB may be different

______________________________________

"Just ask yourself: What would Scooby Doo?"

 

[Pete Biggs]

Peter Storey wrote:

> If you want/need low(er) gears, I believe that Campag's largest sprocket is a 29, and that may
> only be available in 10-speed format.

Yes, 29 is the largest sprocket that will fit on a Campag hub and it is 10sp. 28 is the biggest for
9sp (and will also fit on 8sp with a bit of filing). The options for getting lower gears with
Campag are:

1) Triple chainset (any make)
2) Touring double chainset (74/110)
3) Shimano hub & cassette (respaced if nec.)

Another reason to use a Shimano instead of Campag rear hub for touring is that Shimano hubs have
less dish and have their right-hand bearings further out making the hub stronger ...in theory at
least; Campag hub failures are rare.

/snip
> Moreover, if you can fit under the maximum size constraint, the Campag Centaur cassettes seem to
> allow you greater freedom to set up exactly the cluster you want, without having to break open the
> pairs and trios of sprockets that Shimano insists on riveting together.

I think that's Veloce and Mirage actually. Centaur also uses pairs and trios - or can these be
separated? Anyway, Campag cassettes can be customised by using Veloce and/or Marchsio sprockets.

~PB

 

[Malcolm Stonebr]

Hi,

I had a Campag Mirage groupset (1999 model) and it was **** bigstyle. No offence but Italian stuff
looks good and performs the inverse of this. I'd go Shimano 105 or better on a road bike no
questions - it just works.

What's with this style stuff anyway, it's supposed to do a job first and foremost -
snobbery perhaps ?

What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.

Malc.

"dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
>
> I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
> everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for Shimano
> but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.
>
> I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the
> brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?
>
> Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[Bagbourne]

I have campganolo on my number 2 bike.

I'd go for Shimano every time.

Campagnolo brake hoods are plasticky, and spiky. They end in a spike! Shimano have a nice, rounded
top to the hoods that fits neatly in the cup of your hand when out the saddle. And the nice, inward
curve at the top of the brake lever fits where your fingers go perfectly. The ergonomics are just so
much better!

Also, you can brake and downshift the rear derailleur at the same time. Essential for getting out of
corners quickly.

Shimano also feels smoother and slicker.

Having said that, this site is great: http://www.campyonly.com/

"Malcolm Stonebridge" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I had a Campag Mirage groupset (1999 model) and it was **** bigstyle. No offence but Italian stuff
> looks good and performs the inverse of this.
I'd
> go Shimano 105 or better on a road bike no questions - it just works.
>
> What's with this style stuff anyway, it's supposed to do a job first and foremost - snobbery
> perhaps ?
>
> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.
>
> Malc.
>
> "dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Get well soon, Mr Pinder.
> >
> > I was wondering what everyone thought about Shimano and Campagnolo components. Which ones does
> > everyone think are the best? Personally, from my limited experience of the two I'd go for
> > Shimano but I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on the matter.
> >
> > I've used the Shimano Deore groupset extensively and I found the gears to be excellent but the
> > brake levers wore out quite quickly. Does anyone else have experience of this?
> >
> > Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > >--------------------------<
> > Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[Pete Biggs]

Bagbourne wrote:

> Campagnolo brake hoods are plasticky.

They're rubber (or synthetic rubber). Shimano's are rather sticky in comparision.

> , and spiky. They end in a spike!

The old ones were pointy, new ones are rounded and more comfortable.

> Shimano have a nice, rounded top to the hoods that fits neatly in the cup of your hand when out
> the saddle. And the nice, inward curve at the top of the brake lever fits where your fingers go
> perfectly. The ergonomics are just so much better!

I find the curve of Campag brake levers are better when braking from the hoods, and Shimanos good
from the drops. Also the new-style levers have a different curve. I suspect you have old Ergos (pre
2000, I think). I used those too and find the new ones altogether more comfortable and ergonomic
(the bodies are also more compact now). Moving the levers up the bars helps with the "spikey"
problem with old Ergos.

~PB

 

[Dan Gregory]

Campagnolo you can use handlebar bag.....

Shimanot.

All the best Dan

 

[Msa]

> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.

But you don't get paid millions to ride with certain stuff.

I'm a Campag freak, but if I was offered a few grand to use Shimano I might think about it.

--
Mark
______________________________________

"Just ask yourself: What would Scooby Doo?"

 

[Pete Biggs]

> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.

He only uses the right-hand STI. The left one's not good enough for him!

~PB

 

[Call Me Bob]

On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 16:16:16 -0000, "Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.
>
>He only uses the right-hand STI. The left one's not good enough for him!

So what does he do for the left? Or does he just stay in the big ring for the entire Tour?

Bob
--
Mail address is spam trapped To reply by email remove the beverage

 

[Pete Biggs]

Call me Bob wrote:

>>> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.
>>
>> He only uses the right-hand STI. The left one's not good enough for him!
>
> So what does he do for the left?

Down tube lever. Supposedly to save weight (left lever is gutted and the shorter cable saves a few
grams as well), but there's also the advantage of being able to properly trim the front mech.

> Or does he just stay in the big ring for the entire Tour?

Nah, he likes ro twiddle his granny more than most!

~PB

 

[John B]

Pete Biggs wrote:

> Call me Bob wrote:
>
> >>> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.
> >>
> >> He only uses the right-hand STI. The left one's not good enough for him!
> >
> > So what does he do for the left?
>
> Down tube lever. Supposedly to save weight (left lever is gutted and the shorter cable saves a few
> grams as well), but there's also the advantage of being able to properly trim the front mech.
>

Bet its a campag lever ;-)

John B

 

[Msa]

John B <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Pete Biggs wrote:
>
> > Call me Bob wrote:
> >
> > >>> What does Lance Armstrong use ? Good enough for me then.
> > >>
> > >> He only uses the right-hand STI. The left one's not good enough for him!
> > >
> > > So what does he do for the left?
> >
> > Down tube lever. Supposedly to save weight (left lever is gutted and
the
> > shorter cable saves a few grams as well), but there's also the advantage of being able to
> > properly trim the front mech.
> >
>
> Bet its a campag lever ;-)
>
> John B
>

The right one probably is too, he's just super glued some ugly cables on it a la ShimaNO!

--
Mark
____________________________
Practice does not make perfect... Perfect practice makes perfect